Microbiocidal control in the processing of meat-producing four-legged animals

Abstract

Methods of processing four-legged slaughter animals for consumption as meat and / or meat product(s) are described. The methods comprise: I) contacting exterior surfaces of the live animal at least once with a microbiocidal solution formed from mixing together at least (i) water and (ii) at least one 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dialkylhydantoin, such contacting occurring at least once when the animal is en route to being slaughtered but before it is killed by exsanguination; or II) contacting the carcass of the animal, after exsanguination, with a microbiocidal solution formed from mixing together at least (i) water and (ii) at least one 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dialkylhydantoin or III) contacting at least one raw meat product and / or at least one processed meat product derived from the carcass. The contacting can be done one or more times in each of I), II), and III). Considerable advantages, which are described, are realized when using such methods.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is the National Stage of International Patent Application PCT / US2004 / 43732, filed on Dec. 23, 2004, which application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 603,132, filed Jun. 24, 2003, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.[0002]Reference is hereby made to U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 029,329, filed Dec. 21, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,908,636, issued Jun. 21, 2005, and to U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 028,631, filed Dec. 21, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,919,364, issued Jul. 19, 2005, (presently owned by one of the two joint owners of the present application), both of which Applications are continuations-in-part of application Ser. No. 09 / 893,581, filed Jun. 28, 2001, now abandoned, and to U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 313,245, filed Dec. 6, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,986,910, issued Jan. 17, 2006, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 029,329, filed Dec. 21...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]This invention provides methods for decreasing microbial contamination of (I) a four-legged slaughter animal (for convenience hereinafter often referred to simply as “animal”) being processed for slaughter and / or (II) the carcass of such animal and / or (III) raw meat products and / or processed meat products derived from the carcasses of such animals.

[0014]Substantial benefits can be achieved by the use of an aqueous microbiocidally-effective composition formed from one or more 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dialkylhydantoins. Besides being more effective on an equal halogen basis than other halogen-containing biocidal agents such as hypochlorite or N,N′-bromochloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin, the 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dialkylhydantoins form aqueous microbiocidally-effective compositions that are less corrosive to the nozzles, fittings, cabinets, transporting apparatus, and other parts of the various washing, showering, spraying, and / or misting systems used. Moreover, because of their greater effectiveness as antimicrobials, 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dialkylhydantoins such as 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dimethylhydantoin can be introduced into an aqueous medium at suitably low dosage levels and yet form compositions having enhanced microbiocidal effectiveness, and with no appreciable adverse effect when applied to a live four-legged slaughter animal being processed for slaughter. In addition, the 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dialkylhydantoins form aqueous compositions that are stable over a range of temperatures from as low as just above the freezing point of the composition to about 70° C. and which throughout this temperature range are highly effective against microorganisms and pathogens even when such compositions are formed using low dosage levels of the 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dialkylhydantoin(s). Thus, the microbiocidally effective compositions of this invention can be effectively utilized under most, if not all, temperature conditions encountered in the processing of four-legged slaughter animals, at least for meat. Furthermore, experimental results have shown that, surprisingly, the practice of this invention will not cause noticeable degradation in the quality or properties of meat from the carcasses resulting from the use or methods of this invention. Thus the combination of extremely high antimicrobial effectiveness and lack of adverse effects upon meat enables the aqueous microbiocidally-effective composition formed from one or more 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dialkylhydantoins to also be effectively used in sanitizing raw meat and / or meat products at any stage before, during, and / or after their preparation.

Problems solved by technology

Contamination of meat and meat products with various pathogens such as species of Listeria, Escherichia, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and others, is a problem that has existed for many years.

Despite modern processing procedures, bacterial contamination of fresh meat occurs as an undesirable but unavoidable result of converting live four-legged slaughter animals into food.

Although current Good Manufacturing Procedures (GMPs) and / or recent government regulations can reduce this contamination, the total elimination of bacteria from fresh raw meats has not been achieved.

Soil, dust and manure on the hair, hides and hooves of the animals represent one significant source of contamination.

In addition, in some cases internal organs rupture during the removal process, resulting in further contamination of the carcass.

A number of the conventionally-used steps in the processing of four-legged slaughter animals for food constitute opportunities for microbial and pathogen contamination.

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